What Resident Evil Looks Like Without Special Effects
Motion capture technology is more complicated than most gamers realize. Voice actors like Roger Clark, who played Arthur Morgan in "Red Dead Redemption 2," have recently spoken out about the acting prowess required by motion capture work. Now, gamers can see the process for themselves, thanks to new behind the scenes footage from the making of "Resident Evil Village."
After completing "Resident Evil Village," players are granted access to pre-viz footage from the production of the game, which has been helpfully uploaded by Dan Allen Gaming. In this clip, gamers can easily see the hard work that goes into making a game as visually advanced as "Resident Evil Village." Maggie Robinson, who portrays Lady Dimitrescu in "Village," tweeted a picture of herself in full motion capture gear, complete with the angry-looking stick that stood in as a height reference for Lady Dimitrescu during filming. Robinson specifically noted the stylish hat included in her rig, which added another layer of realism to the production's motion capture sessions.
For many gamers, the knowledge that actors were involved in creating the "Resident Evil 8" characters came as something of a surprise. @ieka95 tweeted, "I never knew that the motion capture process also included voice acting recording." Others were quick to chime in, adding that some studios prefer to record lead actors live in order to produce a more authentic feel to the game.
Voice acting and motion capture are art forms
The most profound fan response simply questioned how the actors managed to keep their composure during filming. This would seem especially difficult for Paula Rhodes, who voiced Angie, the chittering doll. Seeing Rhodes jump up and down in excitement during the motion capture session shows how lively performers must be when working on video games.
Other fans were there, of course, to respond to footage of Lady Dimitresecu's motion capture session specifically. It's no secret that the internet has gone wild for the 9'6" vampire lady, and some have jokingly suggested there must be mocap footage of Ethan Winters delaying his escape from Castle Dimitrescu. A fan asked, "Can I see the mocap of Ethan Winters standing there for 30 seconds after being given a 10 second headstart?"
One fan came to support actors who perform with motion capture, tweeting, "It's time for people to realize that motion capture acting is as powerful and as raw as just acting without it ... These actors should be more recognized." Another gamer argued that the first step to recognizing motion capture performances as "real" acting is to stop referring to it as voice acting, since there's more physicality at play.
Now, "Resident Evil Village" players can have a better understanding of all the hard work that went into creating Lady Dimitrescu, even if they can't pronounce her name just right.